BLEACH, Night of the full moon

Episode XVII: Anything but the rain.

"Give me the hot sun, feed me with embers. I will climb the mountains, swim the seas, forego my slumber. I'm ready for everything, anything but the rain."

The wind was hissing as it smoothed through the trees and grass. The clouds were rapidly turning dark and thick.
“Ichigo, we should go before it starts raining.” Rukia suggested.
“I could do with anything but the rain right now!” Ichigo swore. “It gives me bad vibes.”
They both ran to the direction where they thought the sereitei was but there was no avoiding the rain. It began to rain and was heavier as they advanced. They were both soaking wet in no time and all they hoped was that they would make it in time to be of some help. What they did not know was that they were ahead…late by a day.

Presently, Renji and Hitsugaya were still fighting a hooded man at the senkaimon. Even though Rukia had made it through to the human world, they wanted to ensure that she had a way back once she returned with Ichigo. The hooded man seemed to be highly skilled. They had been fighting him for a while and none of them had managed to land even one significant hit! What is his ability?-they wondered. Renji had sustained some injuries at the start of the fight but he had managed to avoid further injury after that. Hitsugaya had so far avoided sustaining any injuries. The hooded man had a small dagger that he had so far not had to use.
“Gentlemen, I am glad I didn’t under estimate you at all.” spoke the hooded man. “It’s clearly going to be a smooth ride for me!”
“You bastard!” Renji yelled.
“What is your true motive, ryoka?” Hitsugaya asked calmly. He figured that since their opponent believed that he had already won, he wouldn’t mind revealing his plans to them.
“I already told you I am here to end your journey.” The hooded man responded. “Are you deaf?”
“I heard you quite clearly.” Hitsugaya answered. “But if that were the case, you would have already failed since two of us went through the senkaimon. You wouldn’t have a reason to continue fighting us…”
“Very clever, toddler captain.” The hooded man mocked him. “But as long as I can prevent the ones who went in from coming back, I will have done just fine.”
Hitsugaya’s blood was boiling at that point but he was able to keep that fact from coming to the surface.
“I am Toushiro Hitsugaya, captain of squad 10.” He introduced himself. “What is your name?”
“You have not earned the right to learn my name, toddler captain.” The hooded man responded. “You will just have to feel the magic and waves I shall hit you with.”
“You will regret undermining us, Ryoka!” Renji spoke calmly through the pain.
“I didn’t realise you hadn’t died yet!” The hooded man mocked him. Hitsugaya held back Renji by the hand when he was about to fall for the provocation.
“There’s one more name you must hear, Ryoka.” Hitsugaya spoke. “Reign over the frosted skies, Hyorinmaru!!”
The skies turned black and thickened rapidly. The hooded man was shocked for an instant and amazed by the power of the zanpakuto.
“Wow! That’s amazing!” the hooded man remarked. “The toddler captain’s bankai is way cooler than yours, baboon dude. I suppose it’d be foolish to try and fight that with my dagger. I better get serious too then.”
He whipped his dagger through the air once and it grew into a humongous sword! He lifted it up and rested it upon his shoulder.
“Come at me, bro.” He dared them. By then, he had already made his second mistake by assuming that Hitsugaya’s shikai was a bankai. His first mistake had been bragging about his strength. The child prodigy swung his zanpakuto and a slash of ice proceeded from its tip towards the ryoka. He blocked the slash of ice with his sword but he soon realised that it wasn’t very easy. It took all his concentration and focus to obliterate the ice and by then Renji was attacking him from behind.
“Hikotsu Taihou!!” Renji shot a massive red cero-like flash at him and hit him directly. The hooded man was obscured by a thick cloud of smoke for a while.
“Did we get him?” He asked.
“We did.” Hitsugaya responded. “But don’t let your guard down, captain Abarai. We’re not done just yet.”
“What’s with all the formalities? Just call me Renji for pity’s sake!” Renji complained.

“Hahahahahahaa!!!” a loud sarcastic laughter emanated from the thick smoke cloud. “You caught me off guard with that one. You totally roasted me like a marshmallow! Well, I suppose I had that one coming.”
There was something glowing very brightly in the smoke. Something long and blue.
“I guess I should thank you for liberating me.” remarked the ryoka. As the smoke cloud cleared, they could see that the hood had been completely destroyed. Suddenly, he vanished from their line of sight.
“Where did he go?” Hitsugaya asked as he scanned the area.
“Behind you, Toushiro!” Renji shouted. Hitsugaya turned in time to block the attack with his sword but Renji got an injury in the same spot where Hitsugaya was supposed to be cut! He got a good look at his attacker’s eyes and they were glowing like his sword! Renji attacked with his blade but it shuttered on impact and the ryoka’s blade sliced through his belly. The ryoka swiftly turned his blade on Hitsugaya who opened his eyes in awe. He knew then that the only way he could block the attack was by using his bankai and yet he barely had a moment to react. He quickly built up an ice barrier but it failed to work! The glowing blade smashed right through the wall on its way to split Toushiro’s head. Suddenly, the sword stopped moving! Someone had held the ryoka’s hand.
“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” remarked the person who had held the hand.